Read What Our Friends Are Saying About Vacationing With Us!

This note is from the owner…

Because we are local owners our guests have the opportunity to tell us in person about their stay and how much they enjoyed it. Often times I hear wonderful comments and I ask our guests to send me a note so that we can publish it on the website. As we all know once the vacation is over and real life begins sending us comments in writing that you’ve already told us in person takes a back seat and those notes never appear. With that in mind, I’m making note of some of the comments we’ve heard.

Irwin Bay Lakefront Cottages Reviews and Testimonials

“This is the only place that my wife will come with me on fishing trips. Everywhere else we’ve stayed she spent her first day cleaning – she doesn’t have to do that here.” (I’ve heard this from 3 separate parties in the last 7 weeks)

“Everything you do here is top notch – you get an A+.”

“You’ve outdone yourselves – again!”

“Everyone warned us about bringing a newborn to a cottage – they told us we were crazy and to bring plenty of Clorox wipes. After we saw the cottage we put the Clorox wipes away.”

“I can’t believe all the improvements you’ve made to this property since you’ve owned it.”

“Love the new fish cleaning station!” (the new fish cleaning station has everyone buzzing)

“My wife and I just spent another week at our favorite vacation spot, Irwin Bay Cottages. We have been going to Lake Chautauqua for about 20 years. Throughout that time we have stayed at several locations on the lake, but by far the best place we have ever stayed is Irwin Bay. Beautiful location, great cottages that are always clean, and the warmest most welcoming atmosphere I have found in all my travels. Coupled with a great hostess who completes that I am home feeling you get. Great job Julie, keep up the good work. See you next year. Grateful for a great time.”~Greg,

“Thank you for a wonderful time at Chautauqua Lake. The cottages were impeccably clean, neat, attractively furnished and the grounds very well kept. Having a boat ramp on site, having electricity available at the dock, together with well designed boat slips was much appreciated. Perhaps the biggest plus was Julie’s information concerning suitable dining, golf courses, and directions to various places in the area.”~Merrill and Dave, Berks County PA

“I was shocked at how fantastic Irwin Bay Cottages is. So many of us find ourselves having to settle for vacation spots that are within our budget and prove to be disappointing. While I understand you get what you pay for or can afford, why do they have to be dirty or have beds that should have been replaced decades ago? Irwin Bay is spotless, I mean spotless. Quaint, great beds, terrific accommodations. Julie is not only charming but so helpful. The water was low this year so she insisted on driving us to a location to launch our boat so we could dock it near our cottage. Her staff does such a great job. Do yourself a favor and check Irwin Bay Cottages out. Oh, and next year is our 20th wedding anniversary and I decided it is where I want to go. My husband the Musky hunter is happy. But he will be taking me out for surf and turf. Great restaurants abound. Lots to see lots to do. Chautauqua is very beautiful to tour. Julie makes sure you are aware of it all. Much more than just fishing. And yes I love to fish too! See you soon Julie and thanks again for saving our summer.”~The Brownings,

“I am moved to express how I feel about being here because it is such a lovely experience! Your warm gracious welcome on Saturday made me feel totally at home right away. As I said to you then, I can see how your warm spirit lights up the whole camp. You went out of your way to make sure I had everything needed to make me comfortable. You treated me with the same care you would give to your own family. I thank you for this, especially because it was a hard year and having this week in your cabin to refresh and restore myself is a God-send. . In my view, you are doing the Lord’s work in offering these beautiful cabins at such a reasonable price to families and fishermen and all who value serenity.I believe if someone would come and stay here for the first time, they would keep coming back year after year. My brother, as you know, has been coming here for decades. Why would anyone leave when you give us everything we need to be utterly happy?”~Yours with love and thanks, Dr. Deborah Hall, Sterling, VA

The cabin itself delights me. It combines the practical conveniences of home with the beautiful simplicity and gentle décor that I associate with my childhood visits to Chautauqua. It is fresh and traditional at the same time. As I look around it is obvious that time and care and proper investment have all been made to make sure that everything is constructed and maintained and decorated with a view to quality, not cutting corners to do things cheaply. That is very rare indeed and I thank you for holding such a high standard for your cabins.

Jim and I would like you to know how much we appreciated staying in an Irwin Bay cottage. We don’t have an opportunity to get away as a family as often as we would like, but your accommodations allowed us to do just that, and in comfort! The cleanliness, the proximity to the lake, and the hospitality all made for a memorable experience. We do hope to see you again.~Sincerely, Jim & Robin S., Kirtland, OH

We always have a great time at Irwin Bay. The cottages are always clean and the grounds are always kept in nice shape. Julie is very attentive to your needs and is more than happy to help with any questions that you may have about activities in the area. The other guests have always been nice and friendly. We reserve a cabin every summer and can’t wait for next vacation!~Phil B., Dover, OH

Irwin Bay Cottages is a wonderful place to vacation. The accommodations are exceptional for all ages. The cottages and grounds are beautifully kept and decorated. Julie and her staff have done a great job at making you feel right at home!~Richard and Shirley H., Youngstown, NY

I want to thank you Julie for a wonderful week. The special touch that you have brought to Irwin Bay shows throughout. We started camping at Irwin Bay in 1980. We would go down every year and due to a busy life have not been there for more than ten years or more. My husband and I just returned to Irwin Bay Cottages and were most pleasantly surprised. We had a wonderful week. The updates to the cottages were amazing. When you look up the word “clean” in the dictionary, you will see a picture of the inside of the cottage. We loved it. Everything you would want in a wonderful vacation by the lake is there. There is dock space for each cottage, and a fish cleaning station. The fishing is great on the lake. I caught the whopper bass of the two of us. It is a family-oriented vacation spot. We most definitely will be back!~Karen S., Boston NY,

I speak for all six of our fisherman in saying that we were all pleasantly surprised with the accommodations at Irwin Bay Cottages in the “Big Blue House”. Often times internet sites hide and deceive the reality of the actual product or in this case property which leads to disappointment and distrust in purchasing a good or service using this media. As first time visitor, we could not have been more happy with the accommodations and the service. The house was clean, well equipped and homey. The house was large enough to have twice as many as our group of six. The walk-out deck was an added plus. The entire property is well maintained and everything is in good working order. In addition to the great cottages, your warmth and hospitality added to the great experience. You are truly a pleasure to deal with and I highly recommend your resort to fisherman and all vacationers.~Paul Mendik, Warren, Ohio

Once again, Irwin Bay has given us great times we will always remember!We really appreciate the safe, friendly, clean accommodations you & steve always provide. Since you took ownership, you have continually up dated & improved the cottages & grounds. What a huge difference since the first time we became “Irwin Bay-ers”. Our group has stayed at many cottages over the years, looking for just the right place to spend our bi-annual vacations. You & Irwin Bay have won our hearts forever! See you next year!“The Chautauqua Belles”Marilla, Lancaster, Colden, & Attica, NY

On behalf of my family, I would like to thank you for providing such a lovely venue for our third annual cousin reunion. We were pleasantly surprised by the freshness and cleanliness of the cottages. We were so comfortable. The two houses were as lovely as being in our own homes. The small decorating touches and the brightness of the rooms made a welcoming environment. Your sense of humor and friendliness was “icing on the cake”~Cheryl Martin…”Briggs Cousin Reunion”

I just wanted to say thank you for another great vacation. The work you have done to the cottages is just amazing. We are pleasantly surprised every year when we come back. This year we had new carpeting, new furniture in our living room, the new lights are just awesome on the docks. The kids had a great time night fishing on the docks. We’ve been coming to Irwin Bay for the last 7 years and you have definitely given the place a “home sweet home” feeling. The cottages are so clean and comfortable and the grounds are just beautiful. We hooked up with 2 families this year and had the best time. They told me that they are already penciled in for next year. All your hard work is very much appreciated. See you next year.~Cindy, Chris & Clayton Chachulski Derby, NY

This was one of our best vacations! You have a great place and we really had a lot of fun. Thanks for the memories!~Rich, Marie, Nick, Katie, Bob, Sharon, Bob-Adam, Courtney, Jim, Michelle, Kim Matt, Deandra, Adam, Len, Cherie, Andrew, Jimmy, Laurel

Our family LOVES to come to Irwin Bay Cottages. The cottages are clean and have everything we need for a week at the lake. The new owners have done so much to improve the cottages and the grounds. When we tire of being out on the lake we love to fish off the docks and have campfires in the evening. The rates are reasonable and the Steve and Julie do everything they can to make sure you’re getting the experience you came for. We’ll definitely be coming back to Irwin Bay Cottages again and again. The only problem is that now that they’ve improved the cottages, it’s harder to get the weeks we wanted unless we plan in advance!”~ The Colwells, Syracuse, NY

“It has become an early summer tradition to visit Irwin Bay Cottages for my friends and I. We have become acquainted with other guests, who also make the annual pilgrimage to Lake Chautauqua, and have such pleasant times together. Julie, the proprietor, is not only a charming host, but also a very worthy caretaker of the cottages and grounds. The accommodations are always clean and fresh, with everything necessary for a relaxing, fun, vacation time. Fishing on Lake Chautauqua is never disappointing. With so many varieties available for sport and the table, it is just a matter what one chooses to pursue. When day is done and the fish are cleaned, you can relax around the bonfire and swap tales of the day………..I fish, therefore I lie…just a little.”~ Bill Dalton, OH

“I just wanted to thank you so very very much for the (2) wonderful weeks we had up there this May. It means a lot to us – how you make us feel so welcome!! We can’t say enough about what a wonderful person you are and the great job and your husband are doing to make the guests feel like they are part of a big family with wonderful accommodations. Thanks again :)”~ Dave Northfield, OH

“Irwin Bay is a great place to take a family for a vacation. We have been going to Irwin Bay for probably 15 years now. The new owner Julie has done a remarkable job in the upkeep on the cottages and the grounds. Anyone with children will feel safe with the way the grounds are laid out and how friendly the campers are. The cottages are very clean and plenty of room for everyone. If you don’t have a boat for the ambiance of the lake or the fishing there are plenty of places near by where you can rent one to make your stay a good one.”~ Wendy, Tonawanda, NY

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